2012: The Year in Review

2012 was an interesting one news wise for the communities of East Atlanta Patch.

These were the 10 most popular stories of 2012 as gauged by reader interest and e-mail and discussion:

• 10. Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q Heavily Damaged During Storm: An Aug. 2 rainstorm led to a tree falling onto the dining room and outdoor patio of the popular Candler Park restaurant. Thankfully, no one was injured.
• 9. The Naked Truth: This Mural is Quite Controversial: A renowned Argentinean artist painted the wall of the former GM plant in Chosewood Park with a nude mural that proved to be too scandalous for an artistically intolerant and vocal contingent in the surrounding neighborhoods. The end result: It was vandalized and subsequently painted over.
• 8. Anarchist Group Hits Edgewood Avenue Parking Meters: PARKatlanta, the privately contracted firm that handles parking enforcement is not lacking in detractors who decry its tactics at ticketing motorists. A self-described group of anarchists sought to fight back by tampering with the parking meters on Edgewood Avenue to prevent them from being used.
• 7. Man Killed in Friday Afternoon Shooting at Ponce and Moreland: This Oct. 5 shooting seemed so senseless and scary in that the victim was driving and the suspected shooter fired at him several times.
• 6. Atlanta Police Release Sketch Of Lake Claire Attempted Kidnapping Suspect: This March 12 incident left parents in the Lake Claire community rattled as a little girl reported a man tried to kidnap her as she made her way home from school. He remains at large.
• 5. Police Release Sketch Of Kidnapping Suspect: This was particularly scary as a man snatched a woman off her porch in Edgewood in early May and put her in his trunk, driving around before she managed to escape. A short time later, he attempted to abduct another woman in the Reynoldstown community. He remains at large.
• 4. DeKalb Opens New Early Voting Locations: Let it not be said that DeKalb voters are disengaged. They wanted to know when they could vote and where.
• 3. Orionids Meteor Shower 2012: The chance to see this annual meteor shower was not to be missed by astronomy enthusiasts.
• 2. UPDATED: Georgia National Guardsman Killed At Starlight Six Drive-In: Mitt-Chai Lenix, described as a "golden soul" was shot and killed when he sought help car trouble. His accused killer was caught days later.
• Boyfriend Charged in Fatal Shooting of Swallow Circle-Baywood Teen: This murder, which occurred in January, struck a chord with scores of readers who were shocked that her boyfriend shot her in a wooded area of Lakewood and left her to die.